Go to the webpages for the JPA event on Govenors Island 2018, 2019 & 2021!
Poster Image by Terumi Saito
Event Dates
Festival
Saturday, May 28th 12-6pm @ Nolan Park
Performance
33 Friday, June 17 7-8:30pm (Rain Day, June 18) ##3 @ Outlook Hill
JPA Early Summer Festival is supported by New York State Council on the Arts, NYC Cultural Affairs, Japan Foundation New York, J.C.C.Fund & JCCI NY

ABOUT our performance on the Friday June 17th (Rain Day, 18th)
JPA Performance at Outlook Hill on Goverrnos Island will be on FRIDAY, JUNE 17th (7-8pm)
Looking forward to seeing you at the top of the hill!
Thank you so much for your participation and support our Festival on May 28th
We had a great time with you throughout a day!
Our next performance event is on June 17th at Outlook Hill on Governors Island!
See you there!
Program on June 17 (Rain Day, June 18) - Performance at Outlook Hill
Performance: from 7:00 pm
JPA will perform “Gujo Odori” and “Nishimonai Bon Odori,” two of the Big Three Bon Odori dances of Japan on top of Outlook Hill on Governors Island. This will be JPA’s second performance on Outlook Hill since the summer of 2019. These two dances are culturally distinguished with hundreds of years of history, therefore they are shown in wide variety of cultural occasions in Japan (i.e. not only during the summer obon timing). The scene of these Japanese dances on top of the Hill, with the Statue of Liberty in the background, will be a spectacular view. Please come and enjoy!
Emcees: Frank Barrett & Jiro Nagahara
Programs
1. Introduction
2. Short Taiko Performance as Starter by Riley and Mac
3. Nishimonai Bon Odori (Ondo)
4. Gujo Odori (Kawasaki, Gengen Barabara, Sanbyaku)
5. Nishimonai Bon Odori (Ganke)
6. Gujo Odori (Kocho Kwasaki, nekonoko, Harukoma)
7. Taiko Performance by Riley and Mac
8. Finale (dancing Awa Odori freely with the rhythm of taiko )
Program on May 28 - Festival at Nolan Park (Completed)
Japanese Food Vendor Area: from 12:00 pm
Japanese food items will be served at JPA Early Summer Festival! Vendors will open at 12:00 noon.
Performance Area: from 1:00 pm
Emcees: Sakura Lin & Ken Saito
The detailed schedule of games and performances will be announced later, so please check back again. The games in this area include ring toss, watermelon splitting, candy craft performance. The performances in this area include kimono dressing demonstrations and workshops on Awaodori and Gujo Odori.
Playground Area: from 1:00 pm
In this area, you can play Japanese games such as superball scooping, fukuwarai, ring toss, daruma otoshi, kendama, bamboo dragonfly, etc. Playing superball scooping require a small fee, but all other games are free.
Program Leaders
Director

Yuko Hamada
Emcee

Sakura Lin
Emcee

Ken Saito
EMCEE
Jiro Nagahara
EMCEE
Frank Barrett
Stage Manager

Kimono Dresser

Emi Kikuchi
Kimono Model

Sayaka Carpenter
Taiko Player

Riley Sumala
Site Logistic Manager

Kenji Nakano
Head of Information Receptionist

Midori Anami
Information Receptionist

Taka Nishimura
Information Receptionist

Keiko Nakanishi
Playground Leader

Nancy Castro
Playground Leader

Arielle Salnave
Hair Designer

Mika Saijo
Hair Designer

Satoshi Ikeda
Hair Designer

Toshitsugu Kubota
Hair Designer

Mayumi Maeda
Awa Odori Performer

Nana Miki
Awa Odori Performer

Ali Someya
Awa Odori Performer

Elwin
Awa Odori Performer

Atsuko Tonohata
Awa Odori Performer
Mana Kobuchi
Gujo Odori Performer

Hiro Aihara
Gujo Odori Performer

Hiroko Shimizu
Nishimonai Bon Odori Performer

Midori Anami
NIshimonai Bon Odori Performer

Akiko Matsumoto
Nishimonai Bon Odori Performer

Hatsuko Otsuka
Nishimonai Bon Odori

Nana Miki
Nishimonai Bon Odori

Atsuko Tonohata
Nishimonai Bon Odori Performer

Mana Kobuchi
Taiko Player

MacConnell Evans
Ferry Information:
To go to Governors Island, ferry reservation is necessary. Please find the information at the page below. You can find the ferry ride prices, schedule and other information!
Direction to Nolan Park:
Nolan Park is 5 min walk from the Ferry terminal on Governors Island. From the terminal walk up to the end of the street and take the left passage. Walk along with the street, you will reach Nolan Park.
